


Thinking Simple

by indigorose50



Category: Rune Factory 4
Genre: Gen, Humor, Lumi ranting and talking to herself, M/M, journal style, same old song and dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 05:38:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2139027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigorose50/pseuds/indigorose50
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Illuminata has a new case that really stumps her. What are Dylas and Doug doing alone at night near the lake? Where are all of Granny's carrots? Why does everyone laugh when she asks what's going on?!</p>
<p>Written for Dylas-Doug on tumblr :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thinking Simple

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Dylas-Doug on tumblr. Let me know if there are any mistakes. Hope the format's not confusing.

Spring Day 1:

My New Year resolution this time is to solve as many cases as possible! By tomorrow, I promise to have embarked a new, grand, epic mystery! I’ll give myself today off of case searching to reflect on the many victories I had last year. 

\--

Spring Day 2:

No cases today. I walked all around town and asked everyone if they had anything— but to no avail. This town can be really boring sometimes. Ugh.

Amber said she would ask her forest friends if they had any mysteries but somehow I don’t think that will help…

—

Spring Day 7:

Dying… of boredom… send… CASES.

—

Spring: 12:

Some of the spring flowers in the shop have bloomed now. They’re really pretty. Amber talks to them every day. So do I but they seem to actually _listen _to her.__

Nancy accidentally cut herself in the restaurant today during lunch and Jones passed out.

Xiao Pai dropped a plate but it didn’t wake Clorica from her nap in the lobby.

Vishnal burned some sweets he was going to give to Kiel and Leon wouldn’t stop teasing him. Forte eventually decided it was annoying and chased Leon out of Kiel’s room. Almost ran into Bado.

And, oh yeah:

STILL.

NO.

CASE.

What is WRONG with this town, seriously?! I haven’t even seen a sketchy tourist! Twelve days into the year and already I—

Hand on, Blossom needs me for something.

Spring 12- Night:

IT’S A CASE!

Blossom came by to tell me that someone has been swiping carrots from her shop! This is great! This is wonderful! I’ll finally show the WORLD was the greatest detective is capable of! What exciting news! I can’t wait to get started tomorrow!

Amber just read this over my shoulder. Yes, it’s sad that someone is stealing from Granny. But a case! I real criminal case! Now she’s giving me that face… now I feel bad…

…

_The game’s afoot!_

—

Spring 13:

I’m sitting in the bushes outside of the store. I’ll be able to see if anyone comes in or out with carrots. Amber is going to bring me food and water all day. Well, she’s supposed to. I hope she remembers.

Hour 1-

Store Opened

Hour 2-

Nothing,

Hour 3-

Lest went in. Came out with chocolate. Said hello to me. Left. I need to hide better.

Hour 4-

Volkanon came out with carrots. I jumped out to confront him but Blossom confirmed that he had paid for them. Now I need a new bush to hide it.

Hour 5-

Amber was supposed to bring me lunch by now…

Hour 6-

Accidently fell asleep. Amateur mistake; won’t happen again. Amber came by with food, finally.

Hour 7-

Fell asleep again. Damn.

Hour 8-

Forte went into the shop. Gave me an odd look when she passed me. What is wrong with my spot?!

Hour 9-

Forte came back out with a big bag of veggies. On the top was sweet powder. She blushed as she left.

Hour 10-

Blossom came to remind me they would be closing soon. I hope Amber is taking good care of the shop.

Hour 11-

The store is closed now. No criminal activity but night will fall soon. Crime mostly happens at night. I just have to keep watching.

Hour 12-

I’m hungry.

Hour 13-

I’m thirsty.

Hour 14-

Doug just came out of the shop. He keeps looking around like he’s making sure no one is watching. Glad I moved to a different hiding spot after the shop closed. I’m surprised he hasn’t thought to check is roof though. I guess that’s why _I’m _the master detective. I’m clearly cleverer. More clever? I’m smarter.__

Wait— he has something with him…

—

Spring 13:

I tried to follow Doug last night after he left the shop but I lost him when he left town.

He had CARROTS with him! I want to know what he’s doing with them before I tell Granny I’ve solved her case. Maybe he’s bribing someone to stay out of town. Maybe someone’s black mailing him, demanding carrots!

Or maybe…

Maybe he has a secret ‘special someone’.

You know…

-pause for effect-

A MONSTER PET!

Amber’s laughing over my shoulder. What did you think I was gonna write?! You know what— never mind, just STOP READING OVER MY SHOULDER!

Anyway, I plan to follow Doug again tonight. I’m gonna put a dry piece of bread in his pocket before sundown. That way, if I lose him outside of town, I’ll just follow the crumbs!

Let’s do this!

Spring 13- Night:

Following Doug now. He’s stopped at Selphia Plains Lake. There’s someone else here but I can’t make them out, it’s too dark. They’re fishing, with Doug sitting next to them. I think they’re-

—

Spring 14:

I was ambushed by a monster last night. I guess they were drawn by the bread crumbs. I was gonna say that it looked like Doug and the mystery person were eating the carrots together.

Doug and the mystery person heard me with the monster and came to my aid. The mystery person? None other than Dylas! He left pretty quickly after he and Doug escorted me back to town. Doug asked me what I was doing out there and I asked him why he was stealing carrots. He got very red, said it was none of my business, and disappeared into the store.

Doug stealing carrots.

Doug sneaking away with the carrots.

Doug sharing the carrots with Dylas.

Doug and Dylas sharing the carrots that Doug stole and snuck away with… at night.

Well, obviously some weird fish-vegetable trade is going on. I should ask Granny if she has been having an odd amount of fish for dinner. Or maybe they’re experimenting with different kinds of bait? I’ll ask around town and see if anyone else knows anything about vegetable bait.

—

Spring 15:

It’s the fishing frenzy contest today- the perfect time to ask about fish facts!

Or so I thought…

I asked Kiel about it and he said he would look through his books but he couldn’t remember anything. None of the guys were any help, but Arthur did say he would write to a few clients. Lin Fa started talking about how cooked carrots could be a nice addition to her baths.

Meg asked why I wanted to know and, after swearing her to secrecy, I told her everything about the case.

After five minutes she stopped laughing and told me I needed to think simpler. What could that mean?! Fish ARE simple!

Doug and Dylas disappeared after the contest started. No one seemed bothered by their absence. Maybe I am missing something… some vital clue…

—

Spring 16:

I figured I could use some help with this case. Meg said to think simple, so I thought I should talk to someone who is blunt and straight forward. So I went looking for Forte.

After she swore not to tell anyone about my case, I told her everything. When I got to the part about Dylas and Doug sitting by the lake together, her face turned pink and she ran out of the shop stammering.

Forte blushed and Meg giggled. Something FISHY is going on here. WHAT AM I MISSING?!

I think I’ll talk to Dolce next. Maybe Pico has seen something.

No, Pico doesn’t know anything. Well, Dolce covered her mouth as soon as I asked about Doug and Dylas so if she had anything to say I didn’t catch it. Dolce also said I needed to think simpler. And to stop asking about fish. Why is everyone so unhelpful?

—

Spring 19:

This case is much harder than I thought. I talked to practically everyone and they all just laugh or tell me to think differently. Leon was less than no help. He just looked at me and shook his head. Jerk. Porcoline wouldn’t stop laughing when I asked him and Arthur had to pull him into his rooms to calm down. Even Lest, our _Prince _, wouldn’t tell me what I was missing!__

Today is the De-Fluffing contest. I figured Dylas and Doug wouldn’t participate, just like the Fishing Frenzy, so I’m waiting for them by Selphia Plains Lake to see what’s really going on. I’ve been trying to think of “simple” solutions to this mystery…

Maybe they’ve been practicing fighting and Doug lost so he owes Dylas carrots! No, then he would just ask Granny Blossom for the carrots instead of stealing them. Unless he’s embarrassed that he lost…

Gah! If this is so simple why does my head hurt?!

And where are those two?! It’s nearly 10! The festival’s gonna start soon! They should come here, right? Why would they pick a different spot?

Unless I spooked them when they found me watching them the other day…

Crap, why didn’t I think of that?

Wait, I hear someone coming. I— Yes, yes there they are! Wow, I’ve never seen them laugh with each other before. I guess they’re not fighting? No wait, Doug just punch Dylas lightly in the arm. Dylas is grabbing him and pulling him closer! Should I interfere or—

Oh.

_Oh._

Simple. I think I got it…

I must go.


End file.
